Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

M. P. GUTIERREZ.

GARPET STRETOHBR.

Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

N, PETERS. FhomLiU-ographur, Wishingtom 04C UNITED STATES PATENT @rricn.

MANUEL FERNANDEZ GUTIERREZ, or ALrooNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CA RPET-sTREToH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,283, dated April 19, 185.7.

Application filed January 31,-1887. Serial No. 226,062/ (No model.)

ers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to carpet-stretchers; and it consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement of parts for service, clearly described hereinafter, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby a carpet may be stretched and the edge brought very close to the wall while being tacked; further, to provide a stretcher which may be operated easily by the person who tacks the carpet; further, to provide a stretcher which is not apt to cut, tear, or damage the carpet.- I attain these objects in the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved stretcher. Fig. 2 isa central longitudinal section showing the manner of applying to the carpet. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Referring to thedrawings, in which similar letters denote corresponding parts on all the figures, Adesignates the base of the stretcher, having the upwardly and rearwardly curved engaging-flange a on the front edge and the vertical integral standards or flanges B B on opposite sides thereof.

0 is the pivoted upper plate, having its trunnions O journaled in bearings in the rear ends of the flanges or standards 13 B, said'plate being provided with the downwardlycurved engaging-flange c on the front edge, the lower edge of said flange 0 being adapted to bite down upon the base-plate behind and some distance from the flangea thereon. The front edge of the plate 0 is normally held raised by the leaf-spring D, secured to the base-plate under said plate 0.

E represents a pivoted cam-lever, having its trun nions journaled in bearings in the front ends of the flanges B, slightly above the bearings for the upperplate, C, said leverEhaving the cam. F, consisting of a roll of sheet metal, and the lever arm or handle G, of any convenient form, but preferably having the two arms yg, respectively secured toopposite ends of the cam F and converging to the short crossbar fora purpose hereinafter described. In this form the said lever and cam may be stamped out of a single sheet of rolled metal.

Near the rear edge of the upper plate, 0, which is extended for some distance behind its trunnions, but does not extend as far back as the cross-bar of the arm G, are secured in small openings in the said plate 0 the ends of ashort cord or strap, H, thus forming a loop, which is passed up through or between the converging arms of the cam -lever and carried rearwardly over the cross bar 9' thereof, for a purpose to be described.

It is evident that if the strap is pulled rear- ,wardly the tendency will be to press down upon the cross-bar of the lever, (thus causing the cam to press down upon the front part of the plate 0,) and also to pull upwardly upon the rear part of the plate 0, both of these actions tending to force the front part oredge of the plate 0 down,and thus to bite the front edge of the carpet more firmly.

I represents the stretchinglever, consisting of a curved bar having a series of notches, K, in one edge, in which the loop of the straplH is adapted to engage, thelowerend of the said lever being bifurcated and the widened bifurcated ends provided with a series of serrations, K, (which are very sharp,) to engage in the floor. The lower end of the lever being bifurcated, provides a firmer base therefor, and prevents said lever from swaying laterally when in use, and the arm of the leveris curved forwardly toward the upper end to enable the hand operating the lever to press said lever close to the wall without the said hand coming in contact therewith.

Fig. 2 shows the stretcher in the operating position. The carpet is doubled, and the doubled edge placed in that condition between the biting-flanges a c of the stretcher. The lever E(shown in its raised position in dotted lines in Fig. 2) is then pressed down, causing the front edge of the upper plate, G, to be pressed down against the action of the spring D, thereby biting the carpet firmly between the flange c on the front edge of the plate 0 and the flange a on the base-plate. The

strap H is now passed up between the converging arms of the cam-lever, and carried back over the crossbar thereof. The stretching'leveris inserted through the loop of the strap, which strap is engaged in one of the notches K in the rear side of the lever, and the teeth on the lower edge or end of the lever are allowed to engage in the floor. The upper end of the lever is pressed backward toward the wall, and, as the lower toothed end is fixed to the floor, it will be seen that the body of the stretcher, connected by a strap to an intermediate point of the lever I, will also be drawn back, or toward the wall, and the carpet will be stretched.

It will be understood that the general contour of the lower toothed edge of the lover I is curved, (the convex side being presented to the floor,) so that as the upper end of the lever is pressed back the serrations will always act directly on the floor and obtain a firm hold therein.

My invention possesses an advantage over similar articles now in general use, in the fact that being broad at the jaws and engaging the carpet by pressure simply the carpet will not be torn.

The manner of holding the carpet is as follows: The carpet being inserted between the jaws in a doubled condition, it will be seen that the double will cause a slight bulge to form in the carpet immediately behind the flange c. This in itself affords great holding power; but in addition thereto, the flange e pressing down a short distance in rear of the flange a, itwill be seen that the carpet will be carried over the flange a, then downwardly, and under the flange 0. Thus it will be observed that an angle is formed in the carpet, which forms a decided opposition to the withdrawal of said carpet, and this, together with the aforesaid loop behind the flange 0, etlectually prevents the carpet from slipping out of the stretcher.

A further advantage of my invention is that the carpet is stretchedregularly and gradually, thus avoiding the overstraining of thesaid carpet. Further, the stretcher can be operated by the same person who does the tacking of the carpet, thus saving the time of a second person.

A still further advantage liesin the extreme simplicity, and therefore cheapness, of the article, and also in the fact that the device is small, and therefore occupies but little space when put away, (it being preferably not more than six inches long.)

A further advantage which my invention possesses lies in the fact that the carpet while being stretched is held close to the floor, and therefore in a better position to be tacked. Further, it is unnecessary to hold thejaws of the stretcher apart to insert the carpet, as they are automatically held apart by the spring action before mentioned.

I am aware that carpet-stretehers have heretofore been provided consisting of two jaws between which the carpet is clamped by a camlever arranged above the upper jaw. Such stretchers have also been provided with opcrating-levers which are fulcrumed on the floor and suitably connected with the upper clamping-plate. I make no broad claim to such a device, from which mine differsin having the cam-lever provided with integral converging-arms connected at their outer ends by an integral cross-bar. This construction reduces the cost of manufacture, and also provides a larger bearing-surface for the applicationof the pressure requisite to operate the cam-lever.

Having thus described my-invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a carpet-stretcher, the plates A O, pivotally secured together, combined with the operating cam-lever E, comprising the camroll F, converging arms and crossbar g, formed integrally from a single sheet of rolled metal, substantially as described.

2. In a carpet-stretcher, the base-plate A, the pivot d upper plate, 0, extended rearwardly beyond, the trunnions, and the camlever having the lever-arm G, consisting of the converging arms 9 and cross-bar 9, combined with the looped strap secured at its ends in the rear end of the upper plate and adapted to pass up bet-ween the arms y and rearwardly over the crossbar g, and the lever I, to pull upon the said strap to stretch the carpet, said strap being designed to pull up upon the rear end of the upper plate and down upon thelever-arm G, to bite the carpet firmly between the front edges of the plates A O, substantially as described.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination, with the clamping-plates and the cam-lever to operate them, of the looped stretching-strap, and the lover I, having notches K, to engage said looped strap, and the serrations on the lower end to engage in the floor, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. In a carpet-streteher, the combination of the clamping-plates, a cam-lever pivotally secured above said plates to hold them together, the looped or divided strap secured to the upper one of the clamping-plates, and the operating-lever passed through the strap, the lower portion of said lever having thetoothed ends, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

.llANL'l'lll FERNANDEZ (it"llERREZ.

\Vitnesses:

M. M. HAINES, 0. 'l. WI'rnnRoW. 

